"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
- Matthew 13:19-23
i'm thinking about this today... wondering where the seed of the word has landed in my own life. i guess i never thought about how the 2 things that make the seed unfruitful when it falls among the thorns are the worries of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth. those 2 things can come off as harmless. like small, petty, unnoticeable sins. those 2 things are rampant everywhere in this culture... and in my heart. i worry a lot (especially lately) about my future, about my life (what i will eat, what i will drink, what i will wear... hmm, sound familiar?) and i lose trust in God's ability to be my provision.
that leads to the false security of wealth. i think to myself, if we get in a financially good state, if we can own this or that, then we'll be set. this is a dangerous and exhausting way to live. and yet, it's everywhere. it's ingrained in our society, in our "american dreams." in our big house and our 3 car garages and our well-kept children. it's so hard to get away from it. but this reminds me today that i need to be diligent in turning away from these weeds that choke. i want God's light to burst forth like the dawn in my life, but in order for that to happen, i need to become consumed with the things that consume the heart of God.
beautifully wrote. I think that as Americans we need to be reminded of this quite often for it is way to easy for our minds to stray to what America thinks is acceptable i life and wealth.
ReplyDelete